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The Whitetail Addict’s Guide to Shed Hunting

I caught the flash of white in the corner of my eye as a shining white glow emerged from the darkened ground. Immediately my heart rate accelerated and my hands began to shake.

It may comes as a surprise that this excitement wasn’t caused by the flashing antler of an approaching monster whitetail. Instead, it was the result of my discovery of a proverbial needle in a haystack—a shed antler.

For me, shed hunting provides much of the same excitement I can garner from an autumn whitetail hunt, and I know many of you shed hunters can relate. If you haven’t tried shed hunting yet, now is the time to make it happen.

The Basics
When it comes right down to it, shed hunting is a pretty simple activity. It requires just two things—walking and focus. While that does sound rather easy, the actual execution of these two basic actions is much more challenging.

First and foremost, to find shed antlers you’ll need to do a lot of walking. Even in the best whitetail states, finding an antler, as I mentioned before, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. You’re typically looking for just a handful of available antlers over hundreds of acres, and in order to find those few diamonds in the rough you’ll need to cover a lot of ground.

As a friend of mine says, it’s all about “miles for piles.” So if you want to find antlers, you had better plan on doing a heck of a lot of walking.

Secondly, you’re going to need to maintain focus. Walking 10 miles is great, but if you’re just taking in the scenery, you’re going to miss a lot of antlers. The key to shed hunting success lies in staying fully focused on the ground and looking for antlers. No matter how tired you are, no matter how futile the search seems, you must keep on looking. Antlers are tough to see. You’ll need to constantly scan across the ground in front of you, ahead of you and off to the sides.

One of the easiest traps to fall into is getting disenchanted and losing focus after walking all day and not having found anything. But just like in deer hunting, your luck can change in just seconds, so you need to keep your focus and be ready for your one opportunity when it comes.

When To LookIf you think you can handle long walks and keep focused on the task at hand, you’re ready to start shed hunting. But when should you actually get out there and look for antlers? This decision is a critical one for several reasons.

You don’t want to shed hunt too early. If you’re in the woods and walking around before sheds have dropped, you may put enough pressure on the local bucks to force them to move off before they drop their antlers on your property. At the same time, you don’t want to start shed hunting too late, as you may lose out on sheds to rodents or other shed hunters.

That said, keep the following factors in mind to ensure you start walking at the right time.

First, of primary importance is the biological timing of the antler drop. The casting of antlers is tied to a decrease in testosterone within bucks, related to declining levels of sunlight. This annual biological cycle typically causes most antlers to drop between Jan. 15 to March 15, making the months of February and March, most often, the best times to find antlers.

But this can vary widely based on location and local weather or habitat considerations. For example, hard winters and heavy snow can lead to earlier antler drop for some deer. On the other hand, an easy winter and the presence of many nutritional food sources could result in slightly later antler drops.

To keep tabs on local timing, run trail cameras to monitor when bucks in your area are actually dropping their antlers. Once most bucks have dropped their antlers, it’s probably a good cue to get out there.

Once you know most antlers are on the ground, it’s just a matter of being able to see them. This is most effected by the amount of snow cover. Typically, you’ll want to wait until the majority of snow has melted before heading out on your first shed hunt. Overcast and light rainy days also make for great shed hunting conditions, as antlers just seem to pop out against the leaves in this kind of weather.

Where To LookWhen it’s finally time to start looking for antlers, you need to know where to search. If you’re limited to shed hunting one small property, you may be able to search the entire piece. However, when there are large tracts of land, you’ll need to whittle down the area you walk to just those sections that are most likely to hold antlers.

At a basic level the most probable places to find a shed are in the areas deer hang out most at this time of year, their winter feeding and bedding areas.

Food sources at this time of year tend to be corn, bean, winter wheat or other agriculture fields supplemented by certain late season food plots such as rape, kale and turnips. Search out these food sources. Walk them carefully, surveying not just the fields, but also the grass and brush along their edges. Very often bucks will bed just off the edges of these food sources during the night while feeding and drop their antlers.

Bedding areas can come in many forms as well, so hopefully your previous knowledge of a property will help you locate these. But if you’re not familiar with the property you’re shed hunting, look for thick cover, cedars and other conifers, or south facing hillsides. All of these types of areas can be popular bedding areas during the winter.

In addition to these core areas, there are a few “wild card” spots that can be good for a shed or two. Popular trails leading between food and bedding are always worth checking, as well as any obstacle that will require a deer to jump over it. These include popular fence, ditch or creek crossings.

Also, if you ever see isolated cedars or pine trees in grassy fields or on hillsides, be sure to check those out. They seem to be buck magnets during the winter, and countless sheds have been found next to those pine tree sentinels over the years.

Final Thoughts
While writing this, I look at that antler on my shelf and, just like a head on the wall, it brings back a flood of memories and emotions. It seems to me that the hunt for antlers, just like whitetails, is good for the soul.

GALLERY: New Trail Cameras for 2014

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<h2>Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Wireless</h2>The <a href="http://www.bushnell.com/all-products/trail-cameras/trophy-cam/trophy-cam-hd-wireless" target="_blank">Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Wireless</a> might be one of the most exciting new products of 2014. It is the first network-approved wireless camera, fully capable of sending photos to your phone, tablet or computer. With an 8 megapixel camera and up to 3 months of battery life, the HD Wireless allows you to check your photos almost instantly without having to travel to the camera.
<p></p>
<strong>Price: $</strong>600

<h2>Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Wireless</h2>The <a href="http://www.bushnell.com/all-products/trail-cameras/trophy-cam/trophy-cam-hd-wireless" target="_blank">Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Wireless</a> might be one of the most exciting new products of 2014. It is the first network-approved wireless camera, fully capable of sending photos to your phone, tablet or computer. With an 8 megapixel camera and up to 3 months of battery life, the HD Wireless allows you to check your photos almost instantly without having to travel to the camera.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>600

<h2>Bushnell Trophy Cam Essential</h2>The Trophy Cam Essential is the newest offering from <a href="http://www.bushnell.com/all-products/trail-cameras/trophy-cam" target="_blank">Bushnell</a>. It includes one-year battery life and an ultra-fast trigger speed that has made it a scouting favorite, but now with a lower price tag. The 6MP camera includes 32 low-glow LEDs with day and night still-image, video and Field Scan features. Video can be set to capture clips of from 1-60 seconds, while Field Scan helps keep an eye on large areas while also capturing triggered still images. The unit operates on eight AA batteries; accepts SD cards up to 32GB.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>160

<h2>Browning Strike Force/Dark Ops</h2><a href="http://browningtrailcameras.com/" target="_blank">Browning</a> is calling its new Strike Force and Dark Ops Trail Cameras the smallest ever made, as each measure only 2.4x3.8x4.3 inches to be less noticeable to animal or human eyes. Each is powered by six AA batteries, capturing up to 10,000 images on a single set. They offer easy setup with time, date, temperature, moon phase and camera ID stamped on each image. They support SD cards up to 32GB, include a silent image capture feature and the ability to record HD video with sound and eight-image, multi-shot mode. They include .67-second trigger speeds and 2.1-second recovery times, with self-adjusting IR nighttime illumination and Full Frame extended illumination to eliminate dark edges on nighttime images. Time Lapse and Time Lapse Plus provide plot watch capabilities.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>140 (Strike Force), <strong>$</strong>160 (Dark Ops)

<h2>Cabela's Outfitter Series 10MP</h2><a href="http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Outfitter-Series8482-10MP-Trail-Camera-with-Color-Video/1636304.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3DOutfitter%2BSeries%2B10MP%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=Outfitter+Series+10MP&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products" target="_blank">Cabela’s new Outfitter Series 10MP</a> trail cam features a longer, wider, adjustable passive infrared (PIR) motion detector with advanced centering technology to sense when animals have entirely entered the frame. The result is fewer partial shots and more full-body images. The camera has an 85-foot daytime detection range and can take full-color, high-resolution images and high-definition color videos day and night. It includes a compact, weatherproof camouflage case.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>300

<h2>Covert Special Ops/Code Black</h2>The 2014 <a href="https://www.covertscoutingcameras.com/Code_Black.html" target="_blank">Special Ops/Code Black scouting camera from Covert</a> has been upgraded to include 3G capability for the system’s wireless signal, along with an improved booster antenna. Current models operate on AT&T, T-Mobile and other local GSM networks with 2G towers. The new 3G capabilities will mean fewer transmission problems in bad-reception areas.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>400

<h2>Day 6 PlotWatcher Pro</h2>The newest model from <a href="http://day6outdoors.com/products/plotwatcher-pro/" target="_blank">Day 6—the PlotWatcher Pro</a>—now includes extended battery life that captures up to 1 million images. This time-lapse camera keeps an extended watch on your food plots and compiles images into an exclusive, time-lapse video format that allows you to watch hours of footage in just minutes. It records an image every 5 or 10 seconds, or you can set a custom interval. The on-board light sensor automatically activates the camera at dawn and deactivates it at dusk, and you can choose to monitor your plot all day or program a mid-day skip interval of your choice.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>255

<h2>Minox DTC 1000</h2><a href="http://www.minox.com/index.php?L=2" target="_blank">Minox</a> has taken its trail-camera technology to the next level with the introduction of its new <a href="http://www.minox.com/index.php?id=8478&L=2" target="_blank">DTC 1000</a> Trail Camera with an integrated wireless GSM feature. All images will immediately be transmitted to either your cell phone or e-mail address via the Global System for Mobile communication. This means you can monitor your hunting sites, home or business quickly and conveniently — no matter where you are. The unit includes 8MP resolution for outstanding image quality, one-second trigger speed and storage capacity of up to 32GB.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>499

<h2>Moultrie Panoramic 150</h2>The camera that made headlines last year for unsurpassed area coverage—<a href="http://www.moultriefeeders.com/productdetail.aspx?id=mcg-12597" target="_blank">Moultrie’s Panoramic 150</a>—will now include No-Glow flash for 2014. With a 70-foot No-Glow flash, three IR motion sensors and less than a one-second trigger speed, you’ll cover a super-wide 150-degree radius without spooking sensitive bucks or alerting potential camera thieves. The unit captures still images, video and acts as a food-plot/time-lapse camera in one. It’s powered by six C batteries and is easy to set up.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>260

<h2>Primos Truth Cam Ultra</h2><a href="http://www.primos.com/" target="_blank">Primos</a> made some major improvements to its Truth Cams this year. All <a href="http://www.primos.com/products/game-cameras/" target="_blank">Truth Cam Ultra’s</a> utilize sliding switches that make setup simple. The new, Early Detect technology includes a 45-degree PIR sensor that picks up motion earlier so you won’t miss anything walking in front of your camera. HD Time Lapse images are saved as a 1280x960 video file allowing you to watch a day’s worth of images in a few minutes. Video recordings include audio. Eight AA batteries provide nine months of images recorded at 4MP resolution. The camera includes 35-foot range via no-glow LEDs.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>170

<h2>Simmons Whitetail Blackout</h2><a href="http://www.simmonsoptics.com/trailcameras/index.cfm" target="_blank">Simmons new Whitetail Blackout</a> is a black LED trail camera for less than $150. The Whitetail Blackout trail camera includes 18 black LEDs with a 30-foot range and a PIR sensor detecting animal activity up to 40 feet away. It features six-month battery life and a fast, 1.2-second trigger speed. The 5MP camera captures color daytime and black-and-white nighttime images, or VGA video clips day or night. Date/time/moon phase stamps are included on every image and recorded onto SD cards up to 32GB.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>130

<h2>SpyPoint SMART</h2><a href="http://www.spypoint.com/EN/" target="_blank">SpyPoint’s</a> new SMART trail camera is an authentic black LED unit that will exceed all expectations. Including Smart Triggering Technology, this unit analyzes all movements to capture more precise images. The interface has been simplified into a single-touch wheel that enables you to control the camera in one simple action. It operates on eight AA batteries.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>200

<h2>Stealth Cam P12</h2>The <a href="http://www.gsmoutdoors.com/stealth-cam/" target="_blank">Stealth Cam</a> P12 is a compact, affordable, 6MP scouting camera with 12 IR emitters with a 50-foot range. The P12 is easy to program and features an energy-efficient design, Burst Rapid-Fire mode and Quick Set technologies. It shoots video with audio or up to six still images in Burst Mode. An external LCD display allows fast setup and easy viewing of time, date and moon phase. It operates on eight AA batteries with a footprint of 4.25x5 inches.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>90

<h2>Stealth Cam G-Series</h2><a href="http://www.gsmoutdoors.com/stealth-cam/" target="_blank">Stealth Cam’s</a> new G-Series cameras include the G42NG and G30. The G42NG is the company’s most technically advanced unit, including 2MP, 4MP, 8MP or 10MP resolutions and 42 ‘No Glo’ IR emitters with a 100-foot range. The G30 includes 2MP, 4MP or 8MP resolution and has 30 IR emitters with an 80-foot range. Both are ultra compact with trigger speeds under one second and a multitude of cutting-edge technologies that truly make these cameras state of the art. They capture still images, video and offer time-lapse mode while operating on eight AA batteries.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>190 (G42NG), <strong>$</strong>160 (G30)

<h2>Wildgame Innovations Micro Crush Cam 10</h2><a href="http://www.wildgameinnovations.com/" target="_blank">Wildgame Innovations</a> is proud to introduce its new <a href="http://www.wildgameinnovations.com/products/game-scouting-cameras/micro-crush-cam-10.html#.UsLxVPZR1z8" target="_blank">Micro Crush Cam 10</a>, capable of capturing up to 50,000 images on a single set of eight AA batteries. It’s offered in Realtree Xtra camo and features a sleek body and IR technology to capture perfect stills or HD video day or night. Redux Anti-Blur Technology, Exposure Control System and FlexTime+ Time Lapse technologies are also included.The wide-angle 16:9 lens sports rapid 1-second trigger speed. The camera holds SD cards up to 32GB, and the 27-piece IR flash reaches up to 75 feet.
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<strong>Price: $</strong>180

<h2>Wildview TK24 Digital Video Scouting Camera</h2>The new, compact TK24 Digital Video Scouting Camera from <a href="http://www.gsmoutdoors.com/wildview/" target="_blank">Wildview</a> has a ZX7 Gen 2 Processor for easy setup and no-hassle use. The camera features a trigger speed under a second and great battery life. The unit captures still images and HD video, with information stamp that includes date/time stamping. The camera also offers Burst Rapid-Fire still-image mode with custom settings. Image quality can be set for 3MP or 6MP, while the 24 IR emitters provide a 30-foot flash range. It operates on eight AA batteries.
<p></p>
<strong>Price: $</strong>110

Mark Kenyon runs Wired To Hunt, one of the top deer hunting resources online, featuring daily deer hunting news, stories and strategies for the whitetail addict.